Facebook testing pre-roll video ads on ‘Watch’ platform: Report

Facebook is planning to test pre-rollvideo advertisements before the shows on “Watch” – its redesigned video platform for creators and publishers, just like rival YouTube.

According to a report in AdAge on Saturday, the social media giant “plans to test pre-roll video ads at the start of ‘Watch’ shows, according to advertisers who are familiar with the social network’s strategy”. Facebook is yet to comment on the development.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, however, has long kept pre-roll ads off of Facebook. “We don’t need to do pre-roll because our model is not one where you come to Facebook to watch one piece of content, you come to look at a feed,” Zuckerberg said on a conference call with investors this year.

In August, Facebook introduced “Watch” with mid-roll ads, which run in the middle of the shows. The mid-rolls have delivered some positive results. Facebook has said mid-roll ads see a 70% completion rate.